


Doesn't Show Signs of Stopping

by Eliyes



Category: Justice League of America (Comics)
Genre: M/M, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-26
Updated: 2013-09-26
Packaged: 2017-12-27 18:05:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/981981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eliyes/pseuds/Eliyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For tonight, though, it was just the two of them. They chased each other around like kids, scooping up handfuls of powder and flinging them with indifferent accuracy. After a while, Booster caught Ted - or Ted caught Booster; it didn't matter by that point - and they spun each other by the arms into the light cast by a street lamp. From within its glow, looking up, the snowflakes seemed to appear as if by magic from the night sky, falling into the light out of the dark.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doesn't Show Signs of Stopping

**Author's Note:**

> Extreme Justice era. 
> 
> Many thanks to my beta, [glitterandlube](http://glitterandlube.livejournal.com/). A [Boostlethon](http://boostlethon.livejournal.com/) gift for [poisonivory](http://poisonivory.livejournal.com/).
> 
> This story was originally posted to Livejournal December 21, 2008.

It had been cloudy for days, but it didn't start to snow until Ted and Booster were walking to the store. The Western horizon was visible only through gaps in the buildings as it turned a muted pink. Ted thought nothing of it until he noticed that his partner had fallen out of step with him. He paused, turned, and saw Booster standing with his face turned up to watch the first few flakes dance down from the clouds.  


"It's the first time it's snowed since you... were out of the suit," Ted realized, looking on. Booster smiled at him, a snowflake melting on his eyelashes.  


"I missed it." He kept smiling as they continued down the street. Ted chattered and Booster nodded and stuck in comments, and every now and then Ted caught him humming softly under the conversation. The tune was familiar only because he'd heard it from Booster before. It was the blond's standard ear worm come winter. Ted had asked him once what it was, and Booster had shrugged and said it was 'just an old song that hasn't been written yet.'  


At the store they bought bagels and orange juice, among other things. Booster took the potato chips out of Ted's basket every time he put some in, right up to the check out, and Ted retaliated by slipping him the most expensive cheese that he could find. By the time they stepped back outside, it was much dimmer. They walked a few steps before the streetlights came on all down the block, gleaming off of the layer of white that dusted the ground like icing sugar.  


"I think it might stick," Booster said, holding his hand out, palm up and gloveless. The snow was coming down thicker now.  


"I think you might be right." Ted closed his eyes and turned his face up to feel snowflakes land on his forehead, his cheeks, his mouth. When he opened his eyes again, Booster was giving him a look of such clear affection that it warmed him to the core.  


Later that night, they snuck back outside and stood together on the fire escape, looking out at the city transformed. No matter how many songs he heard about sleigh rides, or how many Christmas movies he saw that featured footage of tree boughs laden with snow, Ted always thought of cities when he heard the term "Winter Wonderland". Ever since he was a kid, he had thought that there was something magical about the way snow changed the face of a city, sparkling white covering the sidewalks and streets and trash, collecting on ledges and windowsills like frosting piped onto a gingerbread house. It made the world seem oddly cozy.  


It was still coming down, snow filling in footsteps and tire tracks with quiet persistence. A plow had obviously been by sometime while they were inside, leaving a higher ridge of snow pushed right up onto the curb, still too low to be a proper snowbank.  


"Pretty," Booster commented, his breath a small white puff of cloud in the cold air.  


"Yeah. Come on, let's go down."  


As they descended the fire escape, Ted took to wiping the snow off of the hand rails. It made little piles on the level ones, but only dusted the steeper inclines, too dry to contemplate making snowmen. Still, he made the best of it. At street level, Ted pulled Booster close for a kiss, their lips sliding sweetly together for a moment - and then he stuffed his handful of snow down Booster's collar.  


Ted danced away, laughing, as Booster writhed and futilely stuck a hand down his neck to try to remove the unwanted 'present.' Then he gave up and gave chase after the escaping prankster. At some later date, when the snow was deeper and stickier, they would indulge in a real snowball fight, maybe even pull their current teammates into the fun. Ted would build fortifications behind which to catch his breath and stockpile ammo, and Booster would doubtless nail someone with his infamous long-toss snowballs.  


For tonight, though, it was just the two of them. They chased each other around like kids, scooping up handfuls of powder and flinging them with indifferent accuracy. After a while, Booster caught Ted - or Ted caught Booster; it didn't matter by that point - and they spun each other by the arms into the light cast by a street lamp. From within its glow, looking up, the snowflakes seemed to appear as if by magic from the night sky, falling into the light out of the dark.  


Ted looked down first, more interested in the sight of Booster standing with his head tipped back. He stepped up and nuzzled his face against the exposed skin of Booster's neck, felt him jerk with surprise. Ted's face was cold, but so was the hollow of Booster's throat; he hadn't bothered to wear a scarf. Under the chill, the flesh was still vibrant and warm. Ted pressed a line of kisses along Booster's pulse, where it drummed strongest under the skin, murmuring, "I missed this."  


Gloved fingers slid into Ted's hair from the nape, digging into his scalp. He leaned into the touch, groaning, and Booster bent to kiss him, there in the snow and the light.  


Ted slipped his arms around Booster's waist, marveling at how wonderful it felt to be able to do this again: to stand close together with only the barrier of however many layers of clothing between them. It was unbelievably freeing, so refreshing normal, the best thing ever -- but it would be even better to get Booster alone and run his hands all over him. That Ted could have that, have Booster alive and in one piece again, had been filling Ted with joy for days.  


Booster broke the kiss with a playful nip at Ted's lips, growing, "Let's go home. What I want to do with you requires privacy." He slid an arm around Ted's waist and turned him to face down the street.  


"If you can call it privacy," Ted joked as they began walking.  


"At least we'll have a room. I'm pretty sure we'd get arrested for having sex on the street," Booster said nonchalantly. "And anyway, I didn't bring any lube. Did you?"  


"Well, actually..." Ted grinned at the disbelieving look this earned him. "I kid! I kid. Pretty sure we don't want machine oil for that purpose."  


"No," Booster said quietly. "I'm enjoying not smelling it on me anymore."  


Ted stopped him with a hand on his chest and pulled him down for another kiss. He couldn't apologize for the months Booster spent stuck in the power armour, wouldn't apologize for keeping him alive, because it had brought them to this moment.  


Their return progress was interrupted by several more stolen kisses, keeping them warm as the snowflakes transformed from stars into fat blobs. They stopped just inside the door to stamp their feet and brush off their hats and shoulders. Ted was mulling over ways to run the gauntlet of their teammates without totally ruining the mood when he was interrupted by Booster stuffing a handful of melting snow down his collar and taking off. They raced all the way to Booster's newly-furnished bedroom, and if the ploy lacked subtlety, it was at least effective.  


Booster was humming again as they stripped. Ted retaliated by beginning to belt out "Let It Snow," but had to stop when his breath was stolen by another kiss.  


"Carol-free zone," Booster insisted.  


"You started it!" Ted protested.  


They tumbled onto the bed, laughing and still half-dressed. Booster yelped as a glob of melting snow was dislodged from Ted's hair to hit his bare chest.  


Outside the snow kept falling, but inside things were just heating up.


End file.
